Michael “Bird” Shaffer on Old & New Ways of Experiencing the Mountains (Ep.83)

A while back at a dinner party here in Crested Butte, my friend Mike Horn told me about a guy he knew — named Bird — who I absolutely had to get on the podcast.

So I had Mike connect me with Michael “Bird” Shaffer, and the result was a very interesting conversation that I am very happy to be able to share with you.

Bird — aka, Michael Shaffer — grew up on a hippie commune in Twisp Washington, where he fell in love with the surrounding mountains and with skiing. He eventually found his way to Chamonix, France, where he found a new home-away-from-home, and a community of ski mountaineers, lovers of mountains, and people who loved pushing themselves in alpine terrain.

Bird in his element. (photo by Alex Bosco)

I talked to Bird about all of these things, including, of course, how he picked up the Bird name; how he forged his unique view of the world; the best ways to experience the mountains, the future of his most recent passion, speed riding (which is basically a combination of skiing and paragliding), where he continues to find inspiration, and more.